Venetian blind bottom bar organization



Nov. 25, 1958 J. A. ANDERLE 2,861,631

VENETIAN BLIND BOTTOM BAR ORGANIZATION Filed Aug. 3. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i9 INVENTOR F'G- 8 671) finder/e fl w fig xx,

HIS ATTORNEYS J. A. ANDERLE VENETIAN BLIND BOTTOM BAR ORGANIZATION Nov. 25, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1953 FIG. 13

INVENTOR Jose sh F}. Finder/e WA fJAZ HIS ATTORNEYS Nov. 25, 1958 J. A. ANDERLE VENETIAN BLIND BOTTOM BAR ORGANIZATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 3, 1953 -NVENTOR doseph H-Hnder/e a F IIS ATfQTQNEYS Nov. 25, 1958 J. A. ANDERLE VENETIANIBLIND BOTTOM BAR ORGANIZATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 3, 1953 FIG. 24

FIG. 25'

INVENTOR dose 2h HHnaer/e BY A MrJM HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent l VENETIAN BLIND BOTTOM BAR ORGANIZATION Joseph A. Anderle, Westerleigh, N. Y., assignor to Application August 3, 1953, Serial No. 371,960

4 Claims. (Cl. 160-173) This invention relates to Venetian blinds, and more particularly to Venetian blind bottom bar organizations and fittings therefor.

Venetian blinds are customarily provided with a bottom bar extending for the width of the blind and to which the lower ends of the ladder tapes and the lift cords are attached, usually by means of anchors secured to the bottom bar. The bottom bar is usually thicker and heavier than the intermediate slats of the blind to give stability to the blind and to insure is lowering by force of gravity when the lift cords are released.

In the first forms shown of the present invention, the bottom bar is formed of an assembly of rolled and stamped sheet metal parts consisting principally of an open-topped channel, a resilient, transversely arched steel metal cover for closing the open side of the channel, anchors for securing the ends of the ladder tapes and lift cords to the bottom bar, and cap members to close the ends of the channel, this general type of bottom bar being more completely shown and described in U. S. Patent 2,618,329.

In an additional form shown of the present invention, the bottom bar is formed of a generally fiat central web having an open-topped channel and its longitudinal edges formed into open, generally cylindrical beads terminating in opposed inturned edges- Anchors are secured to the bar for receiving the lift cords and ladder tapes.

In all forms of the invention shown, the bottom bar has a pair of confronting inturned longitudinal edges, and the bottom bar anchor may be arranged to receive the lower end of the ladder tape and the end of the lift cord, or just the ladder tape, as desired. A particular feature of the anchors of the present invention is the construction whereby the anchor spans between the inturned edges of the bottom bar and is provided with projections received underneath the edges of the bottom bar, the arrangement being such that the anchor may be engaged with the bottom bar by first engaging the projections on one end of the anchor beneath an edge of the bottom bar and then pressing the anchor against the bar and moving it towards the other end of the bar to engage the projections at the opposite end of the anchor beneath the other edge of the bar. The anchor is so constructed that fortuitous endwise movement of the anchor to disengage it from the bar is prevented.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide an improved bottom bar anchor which may readily be engaged with a bottom bar, and in which fortuitous disengagement of the anchor from the bar is prevented; to provide such an anchor which may be engaged anywhere along the length of a bottom bar of uniform cross section throughout its length; to provide an anchor that will facilitate tilting of the slats to fully closed position; to provide an anchor that may be engaged with the bottom bar by moving the anchor sideways of the bar to first engage one end of the anchor with the bar and then moving the anchor towards the Patented Nov. 25, 1958 other side of the bar to engage the other end of the anchor to the bar, it being unnecessary to insert the anchor from the end of the bar; to provide a bottom bar assembly in which the lift cords and ladder tapes may readily be connected to or disconnected from the bar without disassembling the bar; to provide an improved bottom bar anchor which is dependable in operation and attractive in appearance, and which may be cheaply and easily fabricated as a sheet metal stamping; and to generally improve bottom bar assemblies and anchors therefor.

Further objects and objects relating to details and economies of manufacture and use will more definitely appear in the detailed description to follow.

My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. In the claims, as well as in the description, parts are at times identified by specific names for clarity and convenience, but such nomenclature is to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context and with the concept of my invention as distinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best modes in which I have contemplated carrying out my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a lower corner portion of a Venetian blind, including a bottom bar anchor according to the present invention, a portion of one of the ladder-tape branches being broken away.

. Fig. 2 is a top isometric view of a bottom bar anchor body according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a bottom isometric view of the anchor body of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a tape clamp before application to the anchor body of Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the attachment of the ladder tape end by application of the tape clamp of Fig. 4 to the anchor body of Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 after application of the clamp to the anchor.

Fig. 7 is a somewhat diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 6, showing the first stage of engaging a lift cord end with the anchor.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing the second stage of engaging the lift cord end with the anchor.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic isometric view showing the first stage of engaging the anchor of Fig. 8, with the lift cord and ladder tape attached, to a bottom bar assembly.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, showing the second stage of engaging the anchor to the bottom bar assembly.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken generally on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10, the bottom bar being shown in slat-level position.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11, the bottom bar being shown in blind-closed position.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, the slats having been tilted in the opposite direction.

Fig. 14 is an isometric view generally similar to Fig. l of a compound lift blind having bottom bar anchors according to a second form of the present invention, a portion of one of the ladder-tape branches being broken away. a

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary isometric view of the bottom bar assembly, tape, lift cord, and anchor of Fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a bottom isometric view of the anchor body of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is an isometric view of the pulley assembly forming a portion of the tape anchor of Figs. 14 and 15.

Fig. 18 is an exploded isometric view of the bottom Fig. is a bottom isometric view of a third form of bottom bar anchor according to the present invention.

Fig. 21 is an isometric view of a lower corner of a Venetian blind having a fourth form of anchor according to -the-present invention for engagement with an improved form of bottom bar, a portion of the ladder tape being broken away.

Fig. 22 is a somewhat diagrammatic isometric view showing'the engagement of a tape clamp with the bottom bar anchor of Fig. 2-1.

Fig. 23 is a bottom isometric view of the anchor of Fig. 22 after engagement of'the tape clamp thereto.

Fig. 24 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the first stage of engagement of the anchor of Figs. 2'123 with the bottom bar of Fig. 21.

Fig. 25 is a view similar to Fig. 24 after engagement of the anchor with the bar is complete.

Fig. 26 is a vertical section transversely of the bar, taken generally on the line 26-26 of Fig. 25.

Fig. 27 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken generally on the line 27-27 of Fig. 25.

Fig. 28 is a top isometric view of the bottom bar of Fig. 21.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the lower corner of a Venetian blind having a bottom bar assembly 30, consisting of a channel 31 and cover 32, both being similar to that shown in Nelson U. S. Patent 2,618,329, the channel being substantially rigid and the cover being resilient, and the cover preferably being formed from Venetian blind slat stock which has been punched for passage of lift cords. The channel 31 is preferably of the cross section shown in Figs. 1113, having inturned, confronting, longitudinal edges 42, 42 and a pair of upfolded ribs 44, 44 for reinforcing the channel and biasing the longitudinal edge portions of the cover 32 against the undersides of the edges 42, 42 of the channel.

The bottom bar assembly 3t) includes an end cap 34, which may be of the type shown in Lorentzen U. S. Design Patent 162,192, fitting over each end of the bottom bar, and two or more bottom bar anchors 35, one for each ladder tape. The vertical tapes or branches 36, 36 of the ladder tape and the lift cord 37 are secured to the anchor in a manner to be described, the ladder tape supporting the slats 39 of the blind in the usual manner.

The bottom bar anchor 35 of the first form of the invention comprises an anchor body 40, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and a tape clamp 41, shown in Fig. 4. The anchor body 40, which is preferably formed as a sheet metal stamping, is proportioned to span between the longitudinal edges 42, 42 of the channel. The body 46 has a tapeand-cord-receiving portion 45 which is slightly wider than the branches 36, 36 of the ladder tape and is longer than the distance between the edges 42, 42 of the channel, so as to more or less overlie these edges. Preferably the length of the tape-receiving portion 45 is such that, after application to the bottom bar assembly 30, the tape branches 36, 36 will be held apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the slats 39 of the blind and nearly to the sides of the bottom bar channel 31.

The tape-receiving portion 45 is preferably longitudinally arched to follow the transverse arch of the cover 32, and the ends 46, 46 of this portion are turned downwardly and back on themselves as indicated in the drawings for attachment of the ladder tape, as will be explained. A central lift cord hole 47 is provided in the portion 45 to receive the lower end of the lift cord 37. The hole 47 may be of any shape, but preferably consists of a slot having parallel side walls extending longitudinally of the anchor (transversely of the bottom bar). Preferably, one end 50 of the hole is extended and enlarged to pass a cord stop or bead 51 crimped to the end of the liftcord 37, the cord stop 51 preferably being of the type shown in Lorentzen U. S. Patent 2,637,804. Some of the metal displaced in forming the hole 47 may all be formed into a pair of downwardly extending projections 52, 52 adjacent the enlarged end 56 of the lift cord hole, these projections being received within the lift cord slot 54 previously punched in the cover 32 of the bottom bar assembly (see Figs. 1113).

Preferably a circular depression 55 is provided extending about the hole 47, the metal within the depression 55 extending upwardly in domelike form to provide a somewhat spherically curved portion of the tape anchor for receiving the cord stop 51. In such a construction, the bottom bar may be oscillated about the cord stop, as in closing the blind in either direction, without deflecting the lift cord 37 from its vertical position (see Figs. 11- 13). Accordingly, tilting of the bottom bar assembly 30 is not hindered by the lift cord, as in the usual construction, and tighter closing of the blind in either direction is obtained.

The side edge portions of the anchor body 40 are turned downwardly to form more or less vertical flanges 56, 56 extending along the two sides of the tape-receiving portion 45 of the anchor body, the sides of the anchor body terminating in outwardly extending flanges 57, 57, which preferably are arched to follow the transverse curve of the channel cover 32. The flanges 56, 56 are of such height that, when the flanges 57, 57 lie against the cover 32 of the bottom bar assembly, the ends of the tape-receiving portion 45 of the anchor body will overlie (-lie outside of) the inturned edges 42, 42 of the channel. The flanges *57, 57 are preferably approximately the same length as the tape receiving portion 45, the ends of these flanges forming bar-engaging portions which, upon assembly onto the bottom bar, lie under the inturned edges 42, 42 of the channel.

Notches'59, 59 are provided inthe ends of the flanges 56, 56at one end of the anchor body, these notches being immediately above the flanges 57, 57 and proportioned to receive an edge 42 of the channel. A second setof notches 60, 60 is formed in the opposite ends of the flanges 56, 56 for receiving the other edge 42 of the channel, the notches 59, 59 being somewhat deeper than the notches 6t), 61), such that the distance from the bottoms (inner ends) of the notches 59, 59 to the outer ends of the bar-engaging portions at the opposite end of the anchor is slightly less than the distance between the edges 42, 42 of the channel. The flanges 57, 57 are pro vided with slight upward protuberances or steps 61,-61 opposite the notches 59, 59 and a short distance from the ends of the flanges, the purpose of which will be explained in connection with the explanation of engagement of thetape anchor with the bottom bar.

The tape clamp 41 is formed of a sheet metal stamping which is dead soft (very little resilience, so that it will remain in any form to which it is bent). The tape clamp 41 is generally rectangular in outline and of a length and width to fit within the tape-receiving portion 45 of the anchor body 4%. The tape clamp 41 has a central hole 62 which may be rectangular, if desired, in order to follow the outside outline of the stamping.

Initially the tape clamp 41 is of V form, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, so that opposite ends 64, 64 of the tape clamp may easily be entered within the tape-receiving portion 45 of the anchor body 449. To clamp the ends of the ladder-tape branches 36, 36 within the tape-engaging portion 45, the ends of the ladder-tape branches are laid about the ends 'of the tape-receiving portion 45, and the tape clamp 41 is pushed within and against the tape-receiving portion of the anchor, so as to generally flatten the tape clamp into the form shown in Fig. 6 and force the ends 64, 64 of the tape clamp against the ladder-tape branches to crowd a night of each ladder-tape branch into one of the notchlike ends 46, 4-6 of the tape anchor, and thus securely attach the ladder tape to theanchor. Preferably the tape clamp 41 is of slightly excess length, so as to leave a slight buckling the clamp at 65, 65.

In assembling the bottom bar 30, the channel 31 and cover 32 are first assembled, either by telescoping or by springing the cover into the channel. If desired, the end caps 34, 34 may also be assembled on the bottom bar at this time. A bottom bar anchor 35 is then assembled onto the lower end of each ladder tape, as above described. In assembling the lift cord 37 with the bottom bar anchor 35, the end of the lift cord, with cord stop 51 attached, is passed through the enlarged end 50 of the lift cprd hole, and then the cord is moved to the narrower portion of the slot, so as to retain the cord end.

The anchor is then engaged with the bottom bar by pressing those ends of the flanges 57, 57 which are .adjacent the deeper notches 59, 59 against the cover and sliding them under an edge 42 of the channel with the channel edge entering the notches, the anchor being moved as far as possible to that side of the bar, as indicated in Fig. 9, and the steps 61, 61 passing under the channel edge 42 and the projections 52, 52 extending within the lift cord slot 54 in the cover 32. The anchor is then slid transversely on the cover 32 towards the opposite side of the bar to engage the opposite ends of the flanges 57 under the opposite edge 42 of the channel, the steps or protuberances 61, 61 movingout from under the other edge 42 of the channel, and the cover 32 biasing the ends of the flanges 57, 57 against the underside of the channel edges 42, 42.

The steps 61, 61 prevent fortuitous movement .of the anchor 35 by holding it centered in the channel, it being necessary, in order to release the anchor, to pre s the anchor against the bar so as to free the steps 61, 61 from the edge 42 of the channel, so that the anchor can be slid towards that side of the channel to free the opposite end of the anchor from the channel. When the anchor is in applied po ition on the bottom bar 30, the end of lift cord 37, with cord stop attached, isreceived between the ribs 44, 44 of the channel, thus preventing movement of the lift cord to the enlarged end 50 of the lift cord hole in the anchor and consequent release of the lift cord. 9

Referring now to the forms of tape anchor shown in Figs. 14-20, such tape anchors are adapted for use in compound lift blinds. Compound lift blinds are blinds in which the ends of the lift cords are secured to the head bar, pass downwardly to the bottom bar adjacent one ladder tape, along the bottom bar, and upwardly through the slats adjacent another ladder tape before passing through the head bar. Compound lift blinds are usually wider blinds and have at least four ladder tapes. It is desirable to provide antifriction cord guides, such as pulleys, in the bottom bar anchor to receive the lift cord at the bottom bar.

The bottom bar anchor 66 for the compound lift blind of Fig. 14 has an anchor body 67 which may be similar to the anchor body 40 previously described, with the exception of the slot portion that receives the lift cord. For convenience, the portions of anchor body 67 similar to corresponding portions of the anchor body 40 previously described have been given the same numbers.

. The cord-receiving slot 69 of the anchor body 67 is located centrally of the anchor body and may be formed as a generally rectangular slot. The marginal area surrounding the slot 69 is preferably depressed somewhat, as by a circular depression, and opposite edge portions of the slot midway between the ends of the tape anchor may be further depressed to form downwardly projecting lugs 70, 70.

A cord guide 71 (Fig. 17) is formed of an inverted U-shaped housing 72 having a pulley 74 mounted on a transverse pivot 75. A slot 76 is formed in the transverse wall of the housing 72, metal displaced in forming the slot being formed into two upwardly projecting ears 77, 77. The proportions of the housing 72 are such that it may be received between the ribs 44, 44 of the bottom bar channel 31, and the upwardly projecting ears 5 77, 77 will be received within the cord-receiving slot 69 of the anchor body 67.

In the bottom bar assembly of this second form of the invention, the branches 36, 36 of the ladder tape are clamped into the anchor body 67 by a tape clamp 41 similar to the tape clamp previously described and functioning in a similar manner. After reeving the lift cords through the slats of the blind, including the bottom bar cover 32 and the bottom bar anchors 66 (including the cord guides), each cord guide 71 may be placed between the ribs 44, 44 of the channel with the ears 77, 77 projecting upwardly through the lift cord slot 54 in the cover 32. The anchor 66 may then be engaged with the bottom bar in a manner similar to engagement of the anchor 35, the ears 77, 77 being received between the lugs 70, 70 of the anchor as shown in Fig. 19, the ears not being sufliciently long to protrude above the general level of the top of the anchor.

The third form of bottom bar anchor 79, shown in Fig. 20, is likewise for a compound lift blind. This anchor is similar to the two anchors above described and is similarly applied to a bottom bar, with the exception that the cord guide 80 therefor is permanently attached to a depressed central portion of the anchor. The housing of the cord guide 80 has a laterally offset lower portion 82 rotatably supporting a pulley 84, the proportions of the cord guide being such that it can be inserted through the usual lift cord slot 54 of the bottom bar cover 32, and the pulley will be offset somewhat so as to guide the lift cord centrally of the slot. The laddertape branches are attached to the anchor 79 by a tape clamp (not shown) similar to the tape clamp 41 and operating in a similar manner.

A tape anchor 89 according to a fourth form of the invention is shown in Fig. 21 for use with a somewhat different form of bottom bar 85 likewise forming a part of the present invention. The bottom bar 85, which is more clearly shown in Fig. 28, consists of a single'strip of metal having a planar central Zone 86, the longitudinal edges of the bottom bar being formed into open cylindrical beads 87, 87, the axes of which lie in the plane of the central zone. The overall width of the bottom bar 85 is approximately the same as the Width of the slats 39 of the blind, and the diameter of the beads 87 is preferably on the order of one-third to one-fourth the width of the central zone. This section is very rigid and is almost equally strong when deflected either upwardly or downwardly, due to the fact that the beads are symmetrically arranged with respect to the planar portion of the bar. Accordingly, this section may be used with the bead openings up, as shown in the drawings, or with the bead openings down.

The ,bottom bar anchor 89 of the fourth form of the invention is in many respects similar to the anchors previously described and is applied to the bottom bar in a generally similar manner. The anchor consists of an anchor body 90 and a tape clamp 91.

The anchor body 90-is proportioned to span between the beads 87, 87 of the bottom bar 85 and is slightly wider than the branches 36, 36 of the ladder tape. The length of the anchor body 90 is such that the ends of the body, when assembled onto the bottom bar 85, extend the full Width of the bar and overlie the beads 87, 87. The ends 92, 92 of the anchor body 90 are turned downwardly and back upon themselves, as indicated in the drawings, for attachment of the ladder tape, in a manner generally similar to that above described in the other forms of the invention.

The anchor body 90 is preferably slightly longitudinally arched, and a lift-cord-receiving slot 94, which may be of the keyhole-slot type, is provided centrally of the anchor body. The side edges of the anchor body 90 are formed into more or less vertically depending flanges 95, 95, the corresponding end of each flange 95 having a deep notch 96 for receiving an edge 88 of the bottom bar,

asenest The opposite end of each flange is provided with a somewhat shallower notch 99 for receiving the other edge 88 of the bottom bar, the portion of the flange below the notches 96, 96 and 99, 99 forming bar-engaging portions for retaining the anchor in position on the bar.

Preferably, the lower edge of each of the deeper notches 96, 96 has a step 190 formed therein, the outer portion of this edge being lower than the inner portion thereof. Also, the outer end of the lower edge of each shallow notch 99 is provided with a slightly raised or hooked portion 191, for a purpose to be explained.

The tape clamp 91 (Fig. 22), which is formed of a sheet metal stamping which is dead soft, is initially of the generally V-shaped form shown, the clamp being generally rectangular in outline and of a width and length to be entered within the anchor body 99. Preferably the tape clamp 91 has a large rectangular hole generally following the outside outline of the stamping, and the intermediate portion of the sides of the stamping is reinforced against bending by narrow marginal flanges 102 The ladder-tape branches 36, 36 are secured to the anchor body 9%} in generally the same manner as previously described in connection with the other forms of the invention. The tape branches 36, 36 are laid about the ends of the anchor body, as indicated in Fig. 22, and then the tape clamp 91 is pressed into the underside of the anchor body to force bights of ladder tape into the ends 92, 92 of the anchor body. However, inthis instance, the tape clamp 91 is somewhat longer in relation to the anchor body than the tape clamp 41 previously described, and, as the tape clamp is forced towards the anchor body 99, the entire bending of the tape clamp takes place at the ends of the stiffening flanges 102, the tape clamp taking the general shape indicated in Fig. 23 in which the central portions 104, 194 of the tape clamp project slightly below the lower edges of the flanges 95, 95, as is seen in Fig. 27.

After assembly of the anchor 89 with the ladder tape, the anchor may be attached to the bottom bar 85, either before or after attachment of the end of the lift cord 37 to the anchor. The anchor is engaged with the bottom bar by inserting those portions of the bar-engaging ends of the flanges 95, 95 that are beneath the deeper notches 96, 96 into the space below one of the inturned edges 88 of the beads 87, 87 (see Fig. 24). The distance between the inner ends of these notches and the opposite ends of the flanges is such that the anchor can then be pressed toward the bar and moved towards the opposite side of the bar to engage the other inturned edge 88 of the bar within the shallower notches 99, 99 (Figs. 25 and 26). I

As the anchor is moved downwardly between the beads of the channel to engage the shallower notches 99, 99, the central portions 194, 194 of the tape clamp 91 resiliently engage against the centraltzone 86 of the bottom bar, so as to bias the anchor upwardly and engage the lower edges of the notches 96, 96 and 99, 99 against the undersides of the inturned edges 88, 88 of the bottom bar. As the anchor 89 is moved to engage the shallower notches 99, 99, the steps 100, 194) of the deeper notches 96, 96 move free of the edge 38 of the bar and, since the anchor is biased to engage the lower edges of the notches against the inturned edges 88, 83 of the channel, prevent fortuitous unlocking movement of the anchor.

Due to the somewhat wedge-shaped form of the notches 96, 96 and 99, 99, there is a certain amount of bending of the edges 98, 83 of the channel, as indicated in Fig. 28, and this deflection of the channel edges will tend to prevent movement of the anchor longitudinally of the channel. However, if it is desired to more positively prevent movement of the anchor 39 along the channel and to have a reference mark indicating where to attach the anchor to the channel, a rectangular portion 196 (Fig. 27) may be displaced upwardly in the central zone 86 of the channel, the portion 106 being of such size as to fit be tween the sides of the tape clamp 91.

9 all The raised or hooked portions 191, 101 on the lower edges of the shallower notches 99, 99 aid in assuring a more positive engagement of the anchor under the adjacent inturned edge 88 of the channel and help to resist unintentional disengagement of the anchor from the bottom bar, particularly when the bottombar is subjected to torsional deformation such as might occur in use if one end of the bottom bar became caught in some manner and an attempt were made to free the bottom bar.

I claim:

1. In a Venetian blind bottom-bar organization of the type in which the vertical branches of a ladder tape are secured to a tape anchor and the tape anchor is attached to 'asheet-metal bottom bar, the improvement which comprises: the tape anchor having confronting channel formations extending longitudinally of the bottom bar and the vertical branches of the ladder tape being secured in such channel formations by a dead-soft sheet-metal retainer distorted into spanning relationship between said confronting channel formations, the retainer engaging the vertical branches of the ladder tape and securing them in position in the respective channel formations.

2. In a Venetian blind bottom-bar organization of the type in which a sheet-metal bottom bar has a generally flat bottom surface and has sides that extend upwardly and thence inwardly, providing at the top of the bar opposite longitudinal flanges that have their free edges in spaced confronting relationship, and the vertical branches of a ladder tape are connected with the bottom bar by a sheet-metal tape anchor the body of which is positioned on top of the bar, the tape anchor having pairs of long and short holding-formations which are disposed crosswise of the bottom bar and which extend under the opposite longitudinal flanges of the bottom bar; the improvement which comprises: each of the two end portions of the tape anchor that faces an end of the bottom bar extending downwardly and thence horizontally toward the end of the bottom bar in the form of a transverse anchor flange that is generally parallel to the bottom surface of the bottom bar, the transverse anchor flanges having broad horizontally-disposed end-formations that are separated from the downwardly-extending portions of the anchor, the broad end-formations of the horizontal anchor flanges extending beneath the bottom-bar flanges, the tips of the two end-formations of each horizontal anchor flange being spaced apart by a distance no greater than the distance between the confronting edges of the bottom-bar flanges plus the width of one bottombar flange, those end-formations of the two horizontal anchor flanges that are at one side of the bottom bar being substantially longer than those end-formations that are at the other side of the bottom bar, and the roots of the two end-formations of each horizontal anchor flange being spaced apart by a distance substantially less than the distance between the confronting edges of the bottom-bar flanges, whereby the long end formations of the two horizontal anchor flanges may be engaged beneath one bottom-bar flange and the short end-formations then be engaged beneath the opposite bottom-bar flange by transverse sliding movement of the tape anchor; and means extending upwardly from the bottom of the bottom bar into engagement with the body of the anchor and biasing the anchor upwardly whereby the broad horizontally-disposed end-formations of the anchor flanges are held in firm engagement with the bottoms of the bottom-oar flanges.

3. A Venetian blind bottom-bar organization as in claim 2, in which the long end-formation of each anchor flange has an upwardly extending latch element that extends upwardly past the free edge of the associated bottom-bar flange when the short end-formation of the anchor flange is fully engaged beneath the other bottombar flange.

4. A Venetian blind bottom-bar organization as in claim 2, in WhiCh'th6 tape anchor is provided on its op- 9 posite longitudinal edges with confronting channel formations, and the branches of the ladder tape are secured in such channel formations by a dead-soft retainer which is distorted into bridging relationship between the confronting channel formations.

Hamilton Dec. 16, 1930 Grassby, Jr May 11, 1937 10 Hammer June 6, 1939 Grogan July 17, 1951 Thomson Oct. 30, 1951 Martin et a1. May 27, 1952 Lorentzen June 10, 1952 Nelson Nov. 18, 1952 Lorentzen Nov. 17, 1953 Rosenbaum Aug. 24, 1954 Moyer Mar. 5, 1957 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,861,631 November 25, 1958 Joseph A. Anderle It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, lines 2 and 12, and in the heading to the printed specification, line 5, name of assignee, for "Lorentzen Hardware Mfg.

Corp.", each occurrence, read Lorentzen Hardware Mf'g. Corp. column 1, line 24, for "insure is" read insure its line 29, for "steel" read sheet Signed and sealed this 21st day of April 1959.

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL AXLINE ROBERT c. WATSON Attesting Officer Conmissioner of Patents 

